National Republican., 1887-04-29
SCANNING PARTY PROSPECTS.
what is Likely to be the Situation q
Year Hence.

this city and published Apr. 80:
An Independent In nine cases out of ten Is u
business man, and with the experience of the
last Congress. with Its avowed free trade doc
trine, heartily supported by the administra-
tion, he is not likely to repeat the bunder of
two years ago. The Republican party, with
all It's shortcomings, under almost any lead
ership would be thousand times more pref.
erablc TO thom. Assuming this to be correct,
the divisions OF the party on purely pers nal
grounds promise to be reduced to scarcely
lighting brigade. If there were no other oo-
stacles in the way-no more combinations to
provide against than them ugwumps aud In
dependents-ihe Republican party would
lies III the labor vote. There is no. u leading
man Of either party but who will concede
this, II he knows any thing of the feeling OF
The ,Eo,,Stm country on The subject prominent
four or five years ago the labor question hld
very little footing as a political factor west OF
Chicago, to-day there +, scarcely a town any.
where, clear to the Pacific Coast, but what has
It's labor organization and that every one of
them can be turned to political uses, with
qEs ihs sTSg Po6SHGy hSs they viii b,
cast, aud are fast growing in the south in such
manufacturing states ~ Virginia, North Caro-
lima Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana;
that the south will soon break loose from It's
present political slavery, there is every reason
10 believe that the first movement will be
the surprises will be infinitely more alarming
to both Republicans and Democrats than were
the recent elections in the west. There are
two distinct labor organizations in this coiu.
try, iemember-the one represented by Pow
derly and the other by Mr.. George. The first
is based upon some equitable ana just princi
means fair share In the profits of what labor
produces, Stripped Of some of It's illogical
premises, the demands OF labor will sooner or
be effected through the same instrumentality
that imposed many of its present wrongs
legislation. The precise procedure In this di-
that peaceable adjustment will be gradually
reached between labor and capital Is just as
reasonable to hope for rs was the em9ncipa.
ton OF human slavery by the stroke of Presi.
The George side of the labor question con-
tains no such elements of strength, because IL
is more or less based upon chimerical theories,
together with strong and dangerous tendency
toward the worst form of agrarianism. While
he takes special care to repudate such doc
trine his teachings nevertheless lead in that
direction. merely cite these two views of
the labor trouble TO show their likely influence
on our future elections, and that while the
Powderly organization appeals to the reason
and justice of the American people, Mr..
Georges wild theories can never maintain
much of q following. The sober sense of the
people will never sanction any doctrine that
interfeIes with the rights Of property. Hisfree
trade doctrines are equally as Objectionable,
ard will be equally as fatal in the end, except
in isolated localities. Assuming these views
OF the relative strength of the two labor organ.
i2ations named to be correct, the Powder,y
branch may, in all probability, be the only one
to affect the result Of the next presidential
election.
Let us, theu, see what the chances of the two
leading political parties are likely to be on the
assumption that there will be no labor candi.
date but It's vote left to decide for itself be-
tween the Candidates of tho two parties. 1t Is
possible that The George wing may make n
nomination, but II would be more to crafty
the ambition OF man than any, hope ofailsct-
ing the general result. Mr.. Powderly VIII never
put his organization TO any such trial. st least
his chances to deal with one or the other of the
two great political parties.
First let us consider Just what course Mr..
spe VIII pursue AND niax TN; can DC
without violating any condolences. as believe
! can guess pretty nearly what his plans are.
his bst asnadassy viii f dapend pr4 If a no ao @
gether, on who the Democrats Will nominate
If 1t be President Cleveland, Blaine will enter
he ilSId II gay HUI or apy 10Th other ,Srong Nav
der the field to sherman, Allison or any other
fellow, leaving them to their chances. think
i,Sn knoT hiS prSgramne, and therei2re ,. a,sart
will Cleveland be renominated?
1t is no longer Il secret here that Mr. Clevc'
land wants to DO renomnHel and what he
may lack in delicacy TO avow this Mrs. Cleve'
land, with the aid of Secretary whitney,
Lamont, and the entire force Of the other de
partments, more than supplies, 1t matters not
among the hard-working elements OF the party,
nor how boldly Democratic senators may pro-
test las matter Of fact, doubt IL there Is a
single Democratic senator earnestly for him,
fiat has nevertheless gone forth to first secure
a delegation ffom New York, and this once
sssured the opposition VIII yield This y at
:, No one will pretend to argue that, with New
| York state soldly for Mr.. Cleveland, the
Democratic national convention would hesitate
to renominate him. Wei, then, the lines to
| secure this are now being carefully laid all
over the state, and when the time arrives Coy.
Hill, il is claimed, will be found graciou'ly
yielding to the inevitable with the loudest
who are now swearing they never Will. The
| 'loGves and fishes" from time immemoriai,
have always been an important factor in p)li-
ties, and; marx my predictions, Grover Cleye-
land will throw M obstacles in the way of his
friends to their use for his benefit Secretary
| Whitney, Dan Lamont, Smith Weed: and ex-
Secretary smith, chairman OF the New York
! state Democratic committee have had several
| private conferences here, with the knowledge
| OF the President and since then have gone to
! work through trustworthy agencies In diher-
| The collector of the port of New York aui
| such other federal officers in the state as can
| be trusted have been duly notified. While it
| Will be wiser for Gov. IIll to keep In the back
ground for the time being he will fall into llue
| when required, The assurance OF a second
| term as governor. with the pledge of the sup.
| port OF the administration for a united deleyL-
| tion from the state In 1892 he is not going to
antagouze Tor the simple prospect OF dividing
|
| afford to take nomination without the earn
est support of the administration, MS his pros
peet OF carrying his own state would be in
! hnitely less than was Blaine's under President
| Arthur. The same Influences are quietly at
work in Pennsylvania, with Bill Scott and the
| Wallace faction as its manipulators. aided by
| feW lrusty federal OiilCehOlders The m an
! agement Of the state from here will be under
| the special direction OF Solicitor General
| jerks, than whom no more sagncl0us politician
| can be found anywhere. Added to this, he IL
| man OF strong personal following In the
western part of his state, and as u lawyer ranks
| with the best anywhere. Randall will not
| interfere. If he refuses to lUin actively, the
| programme as herein outlined will not dis
tuIb him, particularly II relieved of It's respOn-
| sihilty. Mr.. RHndalps slrong personal pOpl.
| lGrity IN philadelphia with It's merchants and
| manufacturers Is glory enough Tor his ambl-
| tiop.
| Concedng then President Cleve ,and's re-
| nomination which VIII be pretty well knOHn,
| even before The meeting OF the Republican pa
| tlCnal convention, there will be no further
| doubt OF Blalnos candidacy, nor. rs the signs
| of the times now strongly indicate. thai he
wi be by farthe most available man Il noml-
| rate, II Is a great mistake 10 suppose that his
| deiCAl WAS any proof OF his being the wea feSt
man. without going into the details OF the
,bst contest tte simpe ques,ion-who would
| have done Ms well under the crc instances? {?
not only answers ITSELF but settles 1t IN his
| that be was defeated by the Independent aud
| Mugwump votes, much as they may have con.
triDwed thereto stupid biuudering aud bad
NDNNl INV lslhe more Lnhll uAl Llle
| other reasons aSsignable, 50 there Is no ulc
discussing either OF these points In yow ofths
| present changed condition Of affairs.
| One thing II very certain, that whatever
were the effects Of The abusive, scurrlous a.
taCks Oh Mr.. Blaine and his family they can
| never be repeated. TIE American people can
| be led sometimes to listen ana frequently are
| Influenced by such arguments, but rarely the
| second Time, Scandal of all kinds loses It's
| force by repetition, us IL is mOre calculated to
| win sympathy for us victims than lncfeale
| censufe, so that Mr.. Blaine has nothing to
| fear from this class of warfare. In any case
| however, with Cleveland renOmlnatei tle
| tendency of public sentiment as expressed
here to-day by representative men points
| strongly TO the election Of Republican Pres
! ident, whether the candidate be Blaine Sher.
/ man, Allison, or any other reliable man. The
IcSLOIRtlOn Of The DemOCrAliO parlY 20 plRer